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<< Complete guide to installing and using Windows 98 SE in 2026 and beyond >>

Content Indexer

  1. A tutorial on how to make your own system installation and boot media;
  2. A tutorial on how to install the system on a physical machine (including external links);
  3. A tutorial on how to update your Windows 98 (SE) with the latest features (from 2008):
  4. General system tips, such as essential programs and fixes for basic incompatibility problems;
  5. Links to external websites for downloading programs and games for your legacy system;
  6. Serial numbers for Windows 98 (SE only) and for paid programs compatible with Windows 98;

First of all, if you don't have Windows 98 installed on your computer, proceed:

Installation

You need to have the system installation CD and the boot floppy disc. If you don't have the original CD, you can download this ISO and burn it to any CD using this program here. If you don't have the original boot floppy, you can download this IMG file and write it to an empty floppy using this program here.

IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT YOU HAVE THE DRIVERS OF THE COMPUTER WHERE YOU ARE INSTALLING WINDOWS 98 ON IT (in case you are installing it on a real computer). If possible, find and download all the drivers and burn the installation files onto a blank CD. Or throw the files onto a USB stick (formatted in FAT or at most FAT32) and burn the USB drivers (SPECIFICALLY THAT WORK ON THE TARGET COMPUTER) onto a blank floppy disc and, when you install the drivers on the system, install the USB driver from the floppy first.

If you know the name of the drivers for your computer where you want to install Windows 98, but don't know where to find quality drivers, try looking on this website here. All the drivers for my computer were downloaded there and they work perfectly well, I recommend it.

During the second part of the installation, after the automatic restart of the computer, the installation will ask for a serial key, which if you don't provide, you won't be able to proceed and the installation won't finish. If you don't have the original serial for your disk, here are some serials that worked for me:

RW9MG-QR4G3-2WRR9-TG7BH-33GXB
RC7JH-VTKHG-RVKWJ-HBC3T-FWGBG

Once Windows 98 has been completely installed and correctly configured with the correct drivers, proceed to the next steps. If you are a beginner or inexperienced in installing older systems, I highly recommend that you take a look at a very detailed tutorial first, so that you learn and feel more confident when installing the system and don't make any mistakes. A good tutorial for beginners, which I highly recommend, is this one from Michael MJD on Youtube. (Michael, if you're reading this, I love your content and videos. You've really helped me a lot).

Once the system is OK, completely installed and correctly configured with the right drivers, proceed:

Updates

Windows Update Restored - More time-consuming and less reliable, but the real experience;
Definitely the most authentic and original way to update your system. The experience is what you would expect at the time: slow, laggy and with the sound of a noisy old HDD running non-stop. If you want to live like you did back then, this is the best option. The link to the official Windows Update Restored page is here. I recommend version 3.1 for more authenticity, but any version after that also works

Offline update package - More reliable and faster, but only works on English editions of Windows;
Windows 98 SE Autopatcher, you can download it here. Once it's downloaded, extract it and open the file labelled "2007" first and, once everything is ready and the computer is restarted, open the file labelled "2008".
I recommend that in the menu to select what you want to install in Autopatcher, you click on A (All), this will install not only all the updates, but also install very useful tools and programs to manage your computer! (Just don't install it if your computer barelly meets the Windows 98 requirements)

After the system update has been successfully completed, install Plus! 98. This will add native support for various important things (such as .zip files), as well as adding more customisation options and system settings, interesting programs and some fun games. You can download Plus! 98 here.
Nice-to-have Extras:

Once the updates have been successfully installed, proceed: (This step is not as necessary as the previous ones, but it is highly recommended that you proceed)

Important (Extra) Tools:

If you've made it this far and want to download some additional old programmes and games for your newly installed and configured Windows 98, you can visit these sites here:
(This step is completely optional. You don't have to go any further if you don't want to)

Other websites related to Windows 98 that I recommend you check out:

Mavica's Windows 98 Repository
Maintenance and troubleshooting in Windows 98
Installing and Configuring A Windows 98 Network
Windows 98 FAQ

Last updated on 12-03-2025